Hello! My name is Jane. I’m the Editor of OneKind Planet. The one working behind the scenes to bring you new and fascinating animal facts! I’m based here in the UK, and we’re, like many countries, in lockdown. Stuck in the house, allowed out only for essential supplies and one lot of exercise a day. It’s tough though I have to admit, I am one of the luckier ones: I can work from home, I do most the time anyway, and I have my family around me for company, human and animal! My biggest problem is staying sane while balancing a business and a toddler without any of our usual out-of-the-house activities. Any entertainment ideas anyone? She’s 17 months old and into EVERYTHING!
But this isn’t a blog about me. It’s about animals, of course! Though I hope you are all keeping well and managing to stay healthy and positive during these difficult times. It’s hard, but know you are not alone. Wherever you are in the world, we are all in this together. If you’re feeling lonely, why not pop along and say hi on our Facebook or Instagram page – we’re a friendly bunch and we’re always up for a natter.
An animals perspective
So, back to the animals. This is actually a post inspired by an article in LiveKindly that talks about Formula One Champion Lewis Hamilton comparing life in lockdown to that of animals in captivity – read it here.
It’s an interesting point. Right now, we are all trapped, confined to our houses unable to go out and do what we usually would. And while we know it’s temporary and essential to stop the spread of Coronavirus, it goes against everything we know, and it’s hard. That craving you can’t satisfy because you can’t get to the shops or the shops are out – panic buying has been a massive problem over here, and it has left a lot of people without. That friend or family member you aren’t allowed to see, that trip to the beach you can’t take or that party you had to cancel.
Now think of an animal in captivity. That’s normal life. There is no end. No reason. No understanding. They are forced to go against their natural instincts and behaviour every day. They can’t hunt or eat as they would in the wild, nor can they roam or socialise as they would either. It’s tough for them too.
It’s something to think about, isn’t it?
Take some time to get to know animals in the wild
To end on a positive. Here’s something you can do from the comfort of your home. You may have seen lots of zoos are advertising live animal webcams as a form of education and entertainment during the lockdown. But, did you know there are also webcams set up to let you watch wild animals enjoy their natural habitat? You can observe natural behaviours and learn what they do outside the confines of a cage. They are fascinating.
To start with, and with thanks to the UK Wildlife Trust, why not watch ospreys in Scotland, barn owls in Dorset or badgers in Cumbria? There’s also the opportunity to watch wild animals in Africa, to dive under the sea with this underwater camera at Anacapa Island or to see wild bears at Brook Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska.
There are many more. If you know of any wild animal webcams in your area, let us know in the comments!